Minister Kachikho appeals for Malata, Cement subsidy loan repayment

Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Anna Kachikho has appealed to beneficiaries of the Decent and Affordable Housing Subsidy Program (DAHSP) to start repaying their loans so that others can also benefit from the program.

Kachikho coming out of a house which is a product of the programme in Mzimba

some beneficiaries pose outside their house

The programme, popularly known as Malata and Cement Subsidy, has only recovered K2.3 million of the K14 billion disbursed, representing 0.1 percent.

Speaking after visiting houses built in Phase1 and 2 of the program in the districts of Mzimba and Kasungu, she said, almost a good number of people who benefited from the program have finished the construction and can repay the loans through the Housing Development Groups (HDG’s) in their areas.

“This is an on- going program where government is subsidizing 50 per cent and the remaining is paid by the beneficiaries themselves in a period of five years. This is affordable and we are optimistic that they will pay back their dues,” she said.

Beneficiaries in the program receive materials like iron sheets, cement, door and window frames, timber, paint, nails and ridges among others for the construction of houses of their choice.

According to the Chairperson for Kasungu District Council, Councillor Greeny Kacherenga, the district has so far received over K600,000 from loan repayment.

“There is good progress in the implementation of this program mainly in the construction and repayment of loans despite some few challenges,” he said.

He said delay in the delivery of materials to the district by suppliers affected the process in phase 1 of the program and there are some carry-overs.

However, one of the beneficiaries, a tobacco farmer, Petros Banda from Makhula village, Sub T/A Mphomwa in Kasungu, said he has started repaying his loan of K290,000 worth of materials.

“I grow a diverse of crops like tobacco, soya, maize and groundnuts as well as raring livestock which have made me easier to repay what I took from the program,” he said.

There are many people who would want to have a decent house like mine in the villages therefore loan repayment would be very important ingiving an opportunity to others to have one, he observed.

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ARE THEY MAKING PROFIT OUT OF RESIDING IN THEIR HOUSES? NO. THEY ARE NOT GENERATING ANY INCOME. THEY CANT PAY BACK. WHO DESIGNED THIS PROJECT AND WHAT IS THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR THE POOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO PAYBACK?